Constitutional Court in Chile outlaws morning after pill

Santiago, Chile, Apr 4, 2008 / 12:22 pm (CNA).- The Constitutional Court of Chile has voted 5-4 to outlaw the distribution of the morning after pill.

According to the newspaper La Tercera, the swing vote was cast by Justice Mario Fernandez, the former defense minister of the government of Ricardo Lagos.

“By prohibiting the morning after pill from the public health system, Chile would be the fifth country in the world, together with the Philippines, Ecuador, Uganda and Costa Rica, not to have it, according to a survey of 206 countries,” the newspaper reported.

The final text of the ruling has yet to be released, as the justices are wrapping up their opinions.

The high court’s decision could also affect the legality of the inter-uterine device and oral contraceptives, which lawmakers have also requested to be excluded from the public health program.

Thirty two pro-life lawmakers requested that all abortifacient methods of contraception be excluded from the country’s health care program and be declared unconstitutional.